Vehicle wheel



May 24, 1932. A. G. B. ow'iiN ET AL vEHidLE' WHEEL Filed Sept. 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 70 n"? 1 wa ers, 2%

May 24, 1932. A. G. B. OWEN ET AL VEHICLE WHEEL Filed Sept. 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 ffi Patented May 24, 1932 I UNIT Dr 'S' I' A12 111.18}'

{ALFRED GEQRGE BEECH OWEN, or su'rToN-ooLDFIELn;

AND ROBERT WiIiFORD Downs,

a or; RUSHALL, wALsALL, Fuel-Jenn V HICLE WHEEL V Application filed September 23,1931, Serial Nor564,e46,"ai1d in Great B ritainMav '10, 1930; V

i This invention relates'to the type of vehicle wheel in which "the securing nuts are enclosed in a relatively deep and substantially cylindrical casing, the outer end of the cas-V ing having usually been closed bya capwhich must, of course, be detachable in order to provide-access to the securing nuts. In the case of'wire wheelsthe'casing has, usually formed the outer hub or shell towhich the spokes are attached, whereas in-the case of sheet metal wheels the casing h'as'been attached'to the outer surface of the nave of the wheel.

with an inwardly extendingflange of the cap.

The cap, which has been'formed of light sheet metal, has been heretofore provided witha peripheralfiange to rest on the outer 1 end ofthe casing as well as with the above nientionedinward flange to enter thesaid end,cnecessitating the formationof the cap by spinning instead of simply by pressing.

"For the above reasons the cap has been'comparatively expensive to; manufacture,-and,

owing to the double thickness of metal where the peripheral flange is placed, a crevice exists into whichpenetrates acid during the platin-gvprocess which results in corrosion.

According to the mainfeat-ure of the pres ent invention, the casing is permanently bridged over at its outer end with a wall. which is rigid therewith but has relatively; large holes through the end in positions over a ""i the .nuts to affordaccess thereto. I a The end closure is preferably pressed in one piece W th ide wall ofthe shell...

Owing to the fact that the nuts are sltuatedf somewhat closeto the wall of the casingthe 3'. holes in'theend conveniently have their cen-.

tres somewhat inwardsof the axes ofthe nuts, and they are relatively/large so that a 31: T o facilitate this th e holesfmay be widened casing gives It has heretofore been usual to. cut out the outer end of the casing except. for a narrowinwardly extending flange or gallery, and; in some cases this flange has been utilized for the engagement therewith ofspring clips carried :by thecap. Inother v cases spring clips have been mounted inside Ithe casing, and have been adapted to engage out somewhat atithose parts which lie to i l the peripheral wall of the casing. :Each hole may, if desired, sufiice for two :or. more nuts-q i The] leaving of the end intact .;with the it considerably increased strength, so that, if desired', a lightergauge metal maybe used; but, in the caselofawire" wheel, it maybe found expedient-to provide an interior metalfband through" which'the 1 60; i

inner ends of the outerset f spokes'are passed,- such-band. being a good fit within to by-spot' welding." ,The band may, howthe casing and being preferablytacked 'thereever, be unattached to the casingasthe spokes will draw it securely against, the inner wall. thereof, to facilitate -which, the band may be split ifnecessary. The provision ofthe band renders it. a simple matter to'form the countersinks for the holes,as this can: be done beforeithe band isputin place.

Themetal of theend. ofthe-rsingat the j middlethereof is utilized as a medium for securing thecap inplace, and thelatter'fmay be formed as a simple pressing which,-,when secured in place, isvpulled up against-the end wall of the casing. Ayery simple and inexpensiveform of pressing is all that is i required because there is no inward or pen ripheral flange needed a-c'entral securing means being sufiicient tokeep the capproperly' in place. As there isfno spinning operation' required,;the cap may bemade ofsteel instead of brass as has heretofore usual:- 7 i i ly been necessary.

The securing means for the cap con-,1 sifst of a central set s'crew,the head-10f which maylie within a recess pressed inthe centre of the cap while the shank passes through, i' Q ahole therein and screws iii to the centre of the-outer wall of theicasing or a fitting secured thereto; .When it is required to remove the wheel the screw can be readily removed,'- i

such'asby the useof a coin fitted into af'milled slotin afmanner well-known} Th6 screw may, however, be rigidly secured to'the cap inwhich case the cap turns with the sc'r'ew'.

A headed pin with alspringgrippingdevice at its inner end for engagement with the hole in the centre offthe end wa-llgjoif the j casing V inc v maybe utilized, or any other type of spring fastening aswillbe readily un'derstood. I

The cap maybe pressed-to any desired shape adapted to fit up against theouter surface of the end wall ofithe casing; but it 7 7 should preferably terminate at'itsp'eriphery an edgewhich is presentedto the-said endwall so that it obtains a good consistent hold thereo n the whole way round. The edge may be beaded, if desired, for additional strength, 'Owing to the fact that'there' is aconsiderable amount of spring between the middle ofthe' cap and thecentre of the end wall, the securing screw has no v-tendency'to come undone.

In any case the i Welded at its periphery tothe inner'edgeof V the peripheralwall of thecasin'g and havingf theboltj'holesformed' through it; In the 'case-of'alwire wheel thez s aid disc may b'e fiarediback and theinner edge of the casing similarlyfflare'd to'receiveit, the two being -welded togetherat theiredges; the spokes n 2 passing'through both ina well known mane J nerl In the casef'of a-sheet'metal wheel, the

i 1 disc maybe of thicker gauge and be? inserted into the-innere'nd of the casing and welded therein leaving a squarecornr; In what isknown as 'a brake-drum type of wire wheel the casing maybe"welded, riveted or-otherwise secured at its inner edge to the brakedrum or'brake drum cover;

I awheel hub shell constructed accordingfto this invention; but showing the fixed hub v V Eigurefl is a front elevation of. the hub shell shown in peripheraliwall a and a1 fore-end]? constitut p inga bridge; The rearyend: ofgthe'shell is r constituted by a rdisc D through which are l Two convenient practical applications 'of the -invention aredescrlbed with reference to the drawings herewith of which;

Figured is a transverse section through and securing nuts in elevation.

Figure l. with the cap secured in place;

ure 2 but'with the cap removed; and

Figu're dis a fragmentary; sectional view to, air-enlarged scale to illustrate the means I, for securing-the cap." r Referring first to Figures 1 to a", A is' the [main portion of the hubshell comprising a A f'ormedthe holes through which the-securing bolts j pass Whenthe shell'is-in placeover the V fixedhubB; The disc Dis fiangedforward ly and then rearwardly at d, and the inner end Q I of the walla is flared to fit over itforming two'th ickn esses of metal which maybe welded together at their edges.- The inner nds of J the innersetfofs'pokes 6 pass through these two thicknesses and tend :to holdthem in proper relationship toeachother whereby thewe'ldi'ng referred to isnot essential.

"Thewalla foreend' b are pressed out inner end of the casing may be closed bya separate dlsc of metal 7 Figure 3- is a view corresponding to Fig from anietal blank and apertures are out out from the fore end 6 to allow of a brace or other implement being inserted for engage ment with the nuts 3', the apertures are widenedv out towards the It will'loe seen that a V 701- periphery of the shellto. allow thefingers to I be inserted'to remove a n'utor start it -;upon

its thread; It will be seen that the portions i of metal 7" left betweenthe apertures afford, great strength to the shell and that the cen-" tral portion 7, designated in Figure 3 forms;

a convenient anchorage for the -'securing' means for the cap G. Any suitable securing 'means may beprovided forthecap-biitjitis i found in practice that a set screw 9, passing through av hole'inthe, cap and screwing int'o afitting h set in the centre of the-portion f affords the most practical means, as showniin Figure 4. The edge'of the o'apG mayheleftfl plain or be beaded-g'but such edge should be allowed to come first into engagement with Yes thefore end I) so that, "wh'enkthe screwr is tightenediup a springing effect is-pr'oduced tending to keep the'screw from coming undone; The screw is kept in permanentieneffect-.5.

' As shown in Fig; 1, E is a metal rin g placed gagement'with the cap by .the split cotter- 9'" i see especially igure' 4, and of course, there y is sufficient space left between the capand the said bridge to allow: for the springing in the forward corner of the shell, where the outer set of'spokes ef' pass; through 'sotas{to I obtain extra strength atfsuch place; 1 The ring may bewelded in place but such isnot" necessary as the spokes ten 'd'to pull. the ring into close, relationship withthe shell. The

countersinks for the vspoke heads ma (3 veniently be formed inthe holes in 'the ring" r E before it is-put in the shell;

out is 11. A detachablewheelhubcomprising-a V casing adapted to besecuredjto a 'fixe'df'hub having a c1rcular ser1esof attaching studs, a

ring disc rigidlyfattachedto-the inner. end of the casing andfextendingradially inward:

ly therefrom, having hole's "thereth'rougli through which'said securingf studs are adapted topa'ss, 'a :wiall, rigid with said casing and bridging across the end thereof over the end I 'of said hub and 1 axially spaced from; the" outer end thereof, said 'wallfhaving apertures in "axial alignment-with said studsy through 105 Having fullydescrib edi our invention whatf j we claim and desire to secure by LettersPata which aperturesasuitable implement canjhei projected to engage securingnuts on studs;

' ed to pass, a wall rigidIwithsaid casing and bridging across the end thereof and spaced implement can be projected to engage securmg nuts on said studs, and a detachable cap to cover said wall and the apertures therein, J and a screw passing through the center of said cap and screwing into the center of said wall.

' 3. A detachablerwheelhub comprising a casing adapted to be secured to a fixed hub having a circular series of attaching studs, a i ring disc rigidly attached to the inner end of the casing and extending radially inward- 1y therefrom, haying holes therethrough V throughwhich said securing studs areadapted to pass, a wall-rigid with said casing and bridging across the end thereof and spaced from the outer end of the hub, said wall having apertures in axial: alignment with said 7 studs, through which-apertures a suitable im-. plement can be projected to engage securing, I nutson said studs, and a detachable-resilient metal cap to cover said wall and the apertures therein, and means for detachably securing i said cap to the central portion of said wall.

4. A detachable wheelhub, comprising a casing surrounding and adapted to be secured to a fixed hub, said hub having a series of attaching studs, and said studs havingsecuring nut-s, the aforesaid casing providing an an- 1 chorage at its inner end for the nner set of spokes and an anchorage at its outer end for an outer set of spokes, a ring disc rigidly at- I tached to the innerend of the casing and ex- 7 tending radially inwardly therefrom, having holes therethrough through which said securing studs are adapted to pass, a wallintegral with said casing and bridging across a the end thereof and spaced'from the outer end of the hub, said wall havingrelatively large apertures in axial alignment with said studs to permit of insertion of a personsfingers for removing or replacing the nuts on v the studs, and a cap detachably secured to I an intermediate portion ofthe aforesaid bridging wall to cover up the apertures in said wall.

In witness whereofthe said Amman- Gnonen BEECH OWEN haS hereunto signed his name this 27 day of August, 1931.- a

' A. G, B'. OWEN. In witness, whereof the said ROBERT W11.- FORD, DOWNS has hereunto 'signedhis name 1931. V V I V RQW. DOWNS. 

